Motor vehicle fender locking means



Jan. 13, 1959 F. A. LEE

MOTOR VEHICLE FENDER LOCKING MEANS 3 SheetsSheet 1 Original Filed Aug.15, 1954 Jan. 13, 1959 F. A. LEE

MOTOR VEHICLE FENDER LOCKING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Origifial Filed Aug.15, 1954 Jan. 13, 1959 LEE MOTOR VEHICLE FENDER LOCKING MEANS 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Ag. 13. 1954 2 5 8 4 8 6 2 9 7 5 a 8 mi vA a v 4 6 r I @L 5 a k 4!; @v u 6 1 U llllw f\ A 6 W 5 w W fl UnitedStates Patent 2,868,310 MOTOR VEHICLE FENDER LOCKING MEANS Fred A. Lee,Fort Wayne,

Ind, assignor to International Harvester Company,

a corporationofNew Jersey Original application August 13, 1954, SerialNo. 449,740, now Patent No. 2,833,364, datedMay 6, 1958. Dividetl andthis application August 26, 1955, Serial No. 530,728

6 Claims. (Cl. 180-89) This invention relates to a motor vehiclebodyconstruction .and more particularly to a new and improved quickreleasable lockingdevice for connecting a pivotally amotor vehicle body.The lock device may be applied to a movable fender of the typeillustrated in the above In that application the noted copendingapplication. engine enclosure and wheel housings or fenders adjacenteachside of the engine enclosureare formed of a plurality of sections orwalls. Certain panels or sections of the engine enclosure and wheelhousings are stationary as in conventional motor vehicles while otherswhic'lttnormally engage the stationary sections to form theengineenclosure and wheel housings are movable to positions wherein the engineis substantially exposedand the wheels adjacent the engine are uncoveredwhereby the mechanic can assume a comfortable position between .thewheel and engine when working on the engine.

A stillfurther object is the provision of a new and improved quickreleasable locking device for connecting a. fender or part of the engineenclosure to the relatively stationary portions of a vehicle body insnug close-fitting engagement with each other.

A further object is the provision of a lock device for a swingable motorvehicle fender having a surface adaptedto engage a surface carried by astationary part of the motorvehicle body which includes cam meansoperable to force the engaging surfaces tightly together in such amanner as to mitigate the possibility of the sections rattling orsqueaking during the operation of the vehicle.

The foregoing and other important objects and desirable featuresinherent in and encompassed by the invention, together with many of thepurposes and uses thereof, will become readily apparent from a readingof the ensuing description in conjunction with the annexed drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a motor truck embodying theinvention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l with the exception that the toppanel of the engine enclosure is in its raised position and the wheelhousing and engine enclosure side wall components are swung outwardlyaway from the normal inswung position assumed thereby; p

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentaryview of. the releasable lockingdevice; a portion of the Wheel housing is cut away to better illustratethe locking device;

liner of. Figure 3; and

August 13, 1954, now

F1gure4 1s a SCCHOHHIVVICW takensubstanttallr along:

Figure. 5 isa sectional view line.55 of Figure 3. 7

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like I'Cfe erencecharactersv designate like elements throughout the various views, thereis shown a portion of a motor truck, chassis frame ltlwhichincludeslongitudinallyexr tending side sill members 11. A pair of steerableground engaging wheels 12. are resiliently suspendedfromthe chassisframe 10 in a conventional manner.

A vehicle power plant 13 is mounted on the extreme: forward end of thechassis frame 10. The engine on power plant 13 is shown somewhatdiagrammatically since it forms no part of the present invention perse.-. The engine cooling liquid is circulated through an up rightradiator core 14. supported onthe chassis frame-10 and spaced forwardlyofthe engine Band is encircled by, a vertical transversely extendinggrille panel 15 whichis also supported by the chassis frame 10.

An operators compartment designated generally by numeral 16 is supportedby the chassis frame 10 rearwardly of the engine 13 and includes a cowlpanel 17' and a windshield frame 18 integrally formed therewith. A roof19 has a forward edge rigidly secured to thewindshield frame 18 andhas arearward edge connected ina like manner to a back panel 20. Dependingvertically from the transversely spaced ends of the cowl panel 17 arehinge pillar posts 21 which pivotally support the side doors 22.Aninverted U-shaped cowl bar 23is secured to the cowl panel 17. Suitablysecured to the cowl bar 23 is a dash panel or fire wall, not shown,which is disposed between the engine 13 and the interior of theoperators compartment 16. The dash panel and the cowl bar 23 serve as arear wall of the engine enclosure designated generally by numeral 24andthe grille panel 15 defines a forward wall or limit of the engineenclosure.

An upright panel 25 is secured to each sill member 11 adjacent the sideof the engine 13. As best shown in Figure 2 the upper marginal edge ofeach splash panel I 25 is curved and has a radius of curvature less thanthe radii of the ground-engaging wheels 12.

The engine enclosure 24 includes a top cover member 26 illustrated inits normally closed position in Figure l and which is adapted to beswung on a transverse horizontal axis by means of suitable hingesupports to an, open or raised position as shown in Figure 2 foraffording access to the top of the engine 13. In a lowered positionillustrated in Figure 1 the rear portion of the member 26 overlaps thecowl bar 23 and the forward portion rests upon resilient supports, notshown, carried by the uppermost edge of the radiator grille 15 and towhich it is adapted to be detachably secured by suitable latchtakensubstantially, along.

ing mechanism, not shown. Suitable struts 2-7 extending between andattachedto the dash panel panel 15 are provided for rigidifying thepanel 15.

, A piano type hinge leaf 28 disposed vertically is fastened to eachverticalside edge of the grille panel 15 by means of securing bolts 29.A pintle 30 having its upper end bent at right angles to the axis of thepintle is adapted to extend through the hinge leaf 28.and be supportedthereby,

Extending between the grille panel 15 and the pillar posts 21 are a pairof removable sheet metal members 31, one of which is shown in Figures 1and 2. It is to be understood that a similar member 31 is positioned atthe opposite side of the engine 13. Each member 31 includes a generallyvertically disposed wall 32 which is in substantially longitudinalalignment With the respective. side marginal edge of the grille panel 15and a pillar post 21 when in its inswung or closed position as showninzFigure I; Theforwardmost marginal edge of the wall and the grilleupright grille 32 is provided with a hinge leaf 33 which iscomplementary to a hinge leaf 28 and is adapted to be rotatablysupported on a pintle 30. The wall 32 of each member 3.1 includes anouter panel 34 and a ribbed inner panel 35. The uppermost marginalsurfaces 36 of the walls 32 are horizontally disposed and are adapted tobe engaged by the side marginal edges 37 of the top cover 26 when thetop cover is in its lowered position and the members 31 are in theirclosed position. Weather stripping, not shown, is suitably secured tothe top surfaces 36 for sealing the juncture between the top cover 26and the walls 32. Itwill be noted that a substantially vertical Planepassing through the side marginal edges of the grille panel 15 and arespective post 21 is laterally spaced between a wheel 12 and a chassisframe side sill member 11 and since the splash panel 25 is secured tothe side of each channel member 11, each splash panel 25 is spacedinwardly laterally from such vertical plane. The splash panels 25 formthe stationary section of the side walls of the engine enclosure 24 andthe inner panels 35 serve as the movable partsof the engine enclosureside walls. The lower portion of each inner panel 35 is disposedinwardly when in the position shown in Figure 1 and is somewhat toroidalin shape so that the innermost edge of the portion 70 is insubstantially vertical alignment with a respective splash panel 25 whenthe movable members 31 are in their inswung or closed position. Theinnermost edge of the portion 70 is'arcuate in shape and has a radius ofcurvature somewhat greater than the radius of the wheel 12 so that themovable members 31 will clear the wheels when swung horizontally betweentheir normal inswung positions and their outswung or open positions, asshown in Figure 2. Inasmuch as the upper marginal edge of each splashpanel 25 has a radius of curvature less than the radius of the wheel 12and the inner marginal edge of each portion 70 has a radius of curvaturegreater than the wheel 12, the inner edges of the portion 70 arevertically spaced above the uppermost edges of respective splash panels25 when the members 31 are in their inswung position. A strip 71 offlexible material such as rubber or the like is suitably secured anddepends from the innermost edge of each portion 70 and is adapted tobear against a respective splash panel 25 when in its closed position asshown in Figure 1. Thus the strips 71 flex and permit the members 31 toclear the wheels 12 when moved between their inswung and outswungpositrons and serve to bridge a gap between the inner edge of theportion 70 and the upper edges of the splash panels 25 when the membersare in their inswung positions to completely isolate the interior of theengine compartment 24 from the ground-engaging wheels 12.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the engine 13 radiator core14 and other engine accessories are com pletely enclosed within theengine enclosure 24 when the members 31 are in their closed or inswungpositions and the cover member 26 is in its lowered position.Consequently dirt, water and other foreign elements thrown by the wheels12 during operation of the motor truck are prevented from entering theenclosure 24 and being deposited on the engine and accessories.

The swingable member 31 not only serves as movable side wall portions ofthe engine enclosure 24 but also has housings or fenders for theground-engaging wheels 12. The outer panel 34 of each member 31 isformed with a generally horizontally disposed transversely extendingportiOn 38 which is disposed directly over a respective wheel 12 tothereby cover the same when in its normal inswung position as shown inFigure 1. Depending from the end portions of the horizontal portion 38are front plates 39 and rear plates 41) which are secured to thehorizontal portions 38 by any suitable means. Horizontal portion 38,front plate 39 and rear plate 40 of each member 34 have an outer contoursimilar to that of conventional fenders. It will be appreciated that theabove description of vehicle structure, described and claimed in patentapplication, Serial No. 449,740, new Patent Number .31 to respectivedoor pillar post 21. Each locking device 41 includes a pair ofvertically aligned socket elements 42 which are fastened to theforwardly facing surface 43 of a pillar post 21 by means of bolts 44 andproject forwardly. While only one locking device 41 will be described indetail, it is to be understood that each member 31 is provided with sucha locking device. As best shown in Figure 5, a bracket 45 and arearwardly facing end wall 46 of the member 31 rotatably support a shaft47 upon which a beveled gear 48 is suitably keyed. Bevel gear 48 mesheswith a bevel gear 49 secured to a shaft 50 which extends through and issuitably journaled in the outer panel 34. An operating handle 51 isconnected to the shaft portion projecting outwardly of the panel 34 forrotating the shaft 51) and thus shaft 47. A collar 52 is secured to theportion of the shaft 47 which extends rearwardly of the end wall 46. Thecollar 52 is provided with an integrally formed radially extendingflange 53 which is provided with a pair of diametrically disposed radialslots 54. Secured to the end wall 46 are a pair of vertically spaced andaligned bearing members 55 which are disposed on diametrically oppositesides of the shaft 47 and provided with vertically aligned bores 56. Alatch bolt 57 is slidably mounted in the bore 56 of each bearing bracket55. A portion of each latch bolt 57 has screw threads formed thereininto which one end of a rod 58 is threaded. Each rod 58 also carries ajam nut 59 which is adapted to bear against a respective latch bolt 57to prevent unthreading of the rod from the latch bolt. By virtue of theabove described structure it will be appreciated that the length of eachrod and latch bolt assembly is individually capable of being adjustedand maintained. The free end of each rod 58 carries a pin 60 whichextends through a respective slot 54 in flange 53 and is thusoperatively connected to the flange 53. It will be obvious thatclockwise rotation of shaft 47 as viewed in Figure 4 will cause latchbolts 57 to slide vertically inwardly toward each other simultaneouslyto positions wherein the terminal ends 61 are retracted and com pletelydisposed within the bores 56 of the bearing members 55. As shown inFigures 3 and 4 a helical spring 62 encircles a lower rod 58 and has oneend abutting the jam nut 59. The opposite end of the spring 62 bearsagainst a leg 63 of an L-shaped bracket which is fastened to the endwall 56 of the member 31. The spring 62 yieldably urges the latch bolts57 vertically outwardly to their locking positions shown in Figures 3and 4 wherein the.

terminal end 61 of the upper bolt 57 is disposed above the upper surface64 of the upper bearing member 55 and a terminal end 61 of the lowerlatch bolt 57 is disposed below the lower surface 65 of the lowerbearing member 55.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, it will be noted that the lowermostsurface 66 of the upper socket element 42 and the uppermost surface 67of the lower socket element 42 are substantially flat and lie in planesin which longitudinally extending lines contained in each planeintersect at.

plementary to and adapted to abut the lower surface 66 of the uppersocket element 42 and the upper surface 67 of the lower socket element42, respectively, when the member 31 is swung horizontally inwardly toits closed position, as shown in Figure 1. Stated in another way, eachpair of complementary abutting surfaces 66, 67 lie in a plane which isangularly oriented less than 90 with respect to a vertical planeparallel to the longitudinal axis f the chassis frame and containing thepintle 30. Also, each of the planes in which the abutting surfaces 66,67 lie is angularly oriented less than 90 with respect to a verticaltransversely extending plane parallel to axis of the pintle 30. In otherwords, the engages surfaces 66, 67 are inclined toward each otherinwardly of the vehicle and rearwardly of the pillar post 21.

The terminal ends 61 of the latch bolts 57 are coneshaped and areadapted to be received in complementary tapered bores 68 formed in thesocket elements 42 when the member 31 is in its completely closedposition and extend vertically through the socket elements. As bestshown in Figure 2, a vertically extending strip 69 of rubber or likematerial is fastened to each side of the cowl bar 23 which is engaged bythe inner panel 35 of the swingable member 31 when it is in itscompletely closed position. It will be appreciated from the foregoingthat if the bores 56 of the bearing brackets 55 are not exactly invertical alignment with the tapered bores 68 formed in the socketelement 42, only the extreme tips of the coneshaped terminals ends 61project into the bore 68. However, continued rotation of the flange 53in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 4, to force thelatch bolts 57 vertically outwardly until the terminal ends 61 arecompletely seated in the bores 68 will cause the free end of the member31 to be cammed thereby to a position wherein the bores 56 and 68 aresubstantially in vertical alignment. Inasmuch as the mating surfaces 64,65, 66 and 67 are disposed as described above, such camming actioncauses a respective mating surface to be orced tightly into wedgingengagement with each other and the member 31 tends to pivot horizontallyinwardly and to move horizontally longitudinally rearwardly with respectto the supporting pintle 30. Thus it will be appreciated that by virtueof the lock device 41 the member 31 is prevented from moving verticallyand horizontally with respect to the grille panel and the pillar post 21to which it is detachably connected and the possibility of member 31becoming loose during use of the motor truck to cause rattling orsqueaking is mitigated if not eliminated entirely.

The embodiment of the invention chosen for the purposes of illustrationand description herein is that preferred for achieving the objects ofthe invention and developing the utility thereof in the most desirablemanner, due regard being bad to existing factors of economy, simplicityof design and construction and the improvements sought to be effected.It will be appreciated, therefore, that the particular structural andfunctional aspects emphasized herein are not intended to exclude butrather to suggest such other adaptations and modifications of l theinvention as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A releasable lock device for securing the free end of a motor vehiclebody part having one end pivotally supported by a longitudinallyextending chassis frame for horizontal swinging movement to and from anormal, inswung position about a vertical axis with respect to thechassis frame, comprising a first element rigid with respect to thechassis frame and longitudinally spaced from said vertical axis, thebottom surface of said element being susbtantially flat; a secondelement rigidly carried by the free end of said body part having a fiattop surface adapted to abut the bottom surface of said first elementonce said body part is in its normal position, said abutting surfaceslying in a plane disposed at an acute angle with respect to a verticalplane containing the pivotal axis of said body part and parallel to thelongitudinal axis of said chassis frame and at an acute angle withrespect to a vertical plane parallel to the pivotal axis and parallel tothe transverse axis of said chassis frame; and cam means verticallyextensible through the plane in which said abutting surfaces lie toforce said abutting surfaces tightly together.

2. A releasable lock device substantially as set forth in claim 1, inwhich, said cam means includes a latch bolt carried by said secondelement, said latch bolt having a cone-shaped end adapted to bereceived. in a complementary cone-shaped bore in said first element.

3. In a motor vehicle having a door pillar post and a wheel coverstructure having one end pivotally connected to a fixed part of thevehicle longitudinally spaced from said pillar post for horizontalswinging movement about a vertical axis between a normal, inswungposition wherein said structure overlies a ground-engaging wheel andextends longitudinally between said fixed part of the vehicle and saidpillar post and an outswung position wherein the wheel is uncovered; thecombination comprising, a releasable lock device for securing said wheelcover structure in its normal position including a pair of verticallyspaced socket elements secured to said post and longitudinally spacedfrom said pivotal axis, said elements having vertically aligned bores; apair of vertically spaced bearing members secured to said wheel coverstructure having vertically aligned bores, each of said bearing membershaving a surface engaging a surface of a respective socket element, saidengaging surfaces lying in a plane inclined with respect to atransversely extending vertical plane and inclined with respect to alongitudinally extending vertical plane containing the pivotal axis ofsaid. wheel cover structure, said bearing member bores being verticallyaligned with said socket element bores when said structure is in itsnormal, inswung position; a latch bolt slidably mounted in the bore ofeach bearing member, said latch bolts being vertically slidable betweena locked position wherein they extend through the socket element boresand a retracted, unlocked position where they are withdrawn from saidsocket element bores; and handle means for simultaneously effectingsliding movement of said latch bolts.

4. A releasable lock device substantially as set forth in claim 3, inwhich, in a vertical transverse section of the vehicle, the engagingsurfaces are inclined toward each other inwardly of said pillar post.

5. A releasable lock device substantially as set forth in claim 4, inwhich, in a vertical longitudinal section, the engaging surfaces areinclined toward each other rearwardly of said pillar post.

6. A releasable lock device substantially as set forth in claim 5, inwhich, cam means are provided for forcing said engaging surfaces tightlytogether, said means including a cam head carried by each latch bolt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS313,876 McArthur Mar. 17, 1885 1,878,248 Moore Sept. 20, 1932 1,964,114Gerlach June 26, 1934 2,209,727 Gibson July 30, 1940 2,447,898 ColanerAug. 24, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 682,661 Great Britain Nov. 12, 1952694,871 Great Britain July 29, 1953

